Mission Statement

Corlears students learn, play and grow together in a school designed for who they are at ages 2 through 10. During these crucial formative years, we build a foundation of compassion, critical thinking, imagination and leadership, and cultivate a joy and confidence in learning that serves our graduates throughout their lives.

Philosophy

Corlears’ small size and specific focus on elementary education allow us to create the ideal environment for student learning and leadership.

Corlears believes in partnering as a community to raise leaders in the 21st century through an education that develops creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication. We place deep value in supporting students’ understanding that they can make a difference in the world. Kindness, respect, and integrity are integrated in every interaction at Corlears.

Students at Corlears learn concepts by engaging in problem solving activities that teachers develop in response to student interests and needs in our curricular areas. Throughout the school year, students engage in explorations that provide insight for answering their questions and for developing imagination, new interests, skills and conceptual understandings.

Our curricular goals and objectives are drawn from deep knowledge of the developmental stages of children and are highly rigorous. Reasoning in the science, mathematics and verbal domains is highly valued and explicitly taught. Writing is a focus in every subject, and literacy is developed as a key component to intellectual discourse throughout our core curriculum of thematic social studies.

Corlears employs a pedagogical approach that views the world from multiple perspectives, and seeks to build an economically and culturally diverse community that reflects the vibrant life of New York City. We recognize that students are interested in exploring differences as well as commonality among their peers and in the larger world, and we strive to create an atmosphere of respect and appreciation by encouraging students to tell their stories and actively listen to one another.

Corlears is educating compassionate innovators, ready to be tomorrow’s leaders.